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Does HiRez really sound better?

I came across this article from Goldmund Audio which I"m sure will raise some hackles. Don't think me a troll but I'd like to read some feedback on the supposed benefits of HiRez. Some of this has already been gone through but the blind listening test mentioned concluded that the ability to hear a difference between PCM and DSD was no better than the flipping of a coin.
http://attachments.goldmund.com.s3.amazonaws.com/2015/01/23/15/49/42/359/goldmund_does_high_resolution_audio_sound_better_white_paper.pdf.

All the best,
Nonoise
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electroslacker
375 posts
 
What is the motivation to compress? I don't see any cost savings for the vendor.

I bought a "value pack" of some Byrd's CDs, which was wretched, and wondered why the sound quality was "cheapened."
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
It's not a cost savings, electroslacker. There are 2 things driving it:
1. the perception that with much listening being done in high noise environments, resulting in quieter portions of the recording being lost in the (ambient) noise floor.
2. the psycho-acoustic phenomenon that causes us to perceive slightly louder playback as being "better".
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"2. the psycho-acoustic phenomenon that causes us to perceive slightly louder playback as being "better".
Swampwalker (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)"

Once you figure out what's going on, it doesn't work anymore.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I have some (compressed) CDs that are at least 3 times louder than the average (uncompressed) CD. Example: Radiohead Amnesiac. That's not "slightly louder." Hel-loo!
noble100's avatar
noble100
2,419 posts
 
Zd542,

The 'Loudness Wars' on CDs has seriously reduced dynamics and micro-dynamics which are potentially much better on CDs as opposed to cassettes. Additionally, CDs benefit from zero wow & Flutter and a much lower noise floor.

The areas I notice the most obvious improvements with hi-rez files as compared to CDs are: dynamics, micro-dynamics, an even lower noise floor and a very high detail level. With your previous comments on the importance of most of these qualities in your music listening, I would think hi-rez music files are likely a very good choice for you.

Tim
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